Research Paper

"The Effect of Satellite Broadcasting on Moroccan Culture in Europe"

Introduction

Many European countries are well known for their multiculturalism and diversity. In the beginning of the 1950s and 1960s many North African workers migrated to Europe in helping with the rebuilding of some European countries after World War II. In the 1970s these workers brought their families to Europe, and started a whole new life there. Being far from home can make people long for their home country, and especially the cultural aspects that make their country special. Through the introduction of satellite broadcasting, it has become possible for people living in Europe to receive television channels from their home country and elsewhere. They receive these channels thanks to the introduction of satellite broadcasting. There is a relation between communication and culture, and satellite broadcasting helps in spreading culture all over the world. Two points that will be discussed are how cultural change and culture preservation through satellite television affect the Moroccan culture in Europe. I chose this topic because of my experience in Europe (The Netherlands), and the knowledge that I have about how satellite broadcasting affects the Moroccan culture abroad.

Communication and Culture

Communication is an important aspect of our society; it is an aspect that people cannot imagine themselves living without. There are several definitions of what communication is and how it can be described. People use communication for several purposes like informing, persuading, entertaining, and maintaining relationships with one another. There are different types of communication like human, international, and intercultural communication. One tool of spreading communication is mass media; books, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, internet all take part in providing and spreading information. Communication is an important part of culture; in order to look at the importance of communication in different cultures, culture should be defined first.
There are several definitions of culture: Clifford Geertz defines culture as “an historically transmitted pattern of meanings embodies in symbols, a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which men communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life” (1973, p. 89). Samovar and Porter (2003) state that “culture helps govern and define the conditions and circumstances under which various messages may or may not be sent, noticed, or interpreted; your entire repertoire of communicative behaviors depends largely on the culture in which you have been raised” (p. 7). Ogan (2007) states that “culture defines what it means to be a human being; it is all our behavior summed up, our whole life experience” (p. 293). In general, culture can be defined as beliefs, values, attitudes, behaviors, and customs that are specific to a country or ethnic group, and it is important for these cultures to be preserved and to stay unchanged.
For Moroccans who live in Europe, it is important to keep communicating with people in their home country, and to be up to date about what is going on in their country. Besides practicing some aspects of their culture in their daily lives and during special events, they entertain themselves by watching television channels that are familiar to them and like to watch. In other words, they like watching television channels from their home country. Telecommunication in general, and satellite broadcasting in specific, has facilitated communication with their native country. In the past ten to fifteen years, satellite television in Europe has become very popular among immigrated people because of several reasons. First, one can argue that when they watch satellite television in their native tongue, it takes away the homesickness that they sometimes deal with. Another argument is that people have difficulty adapting to the culture of their adopted country, and rather watch programs that are related to their own culture. One can further expand on this by stating that some people want their children to have some knowledge about the culture of their parents’ native country (culture preservation). Moreover, Moroccans in Europe, as well as those living in Morocco, also like watching other Arab television channels that they receive via their satellite dishes. Egyptian movies and series, Lebanese reality shows and music programs, and other Arab television programs, are popular among people in the Arab world. The relationship that is created between people living apart from each other through these television programs that are broadcasted via satellite creates a cultural network.

Convergence Theory and Cultural Identity

As stated by Barnett and Rosen, “convergence theory may be applied to those communication situations in which the participants are social systems, such as ethnic groups or nation-states, each of which possesses a unique culture; cultural convergence theory suggests that the variance between groups or national cultures would become smaller over time as a result of international communication” (2007, p.158/p.159). In other words, international communication can cause for national cultures to become smaller, maybe to the point where they might disappear. “The information that is shared through a network has profound effects on the members of the network, which are indicated changes by changes in the belief systems of the members and the structure of their network”.
To this theory we can include the notion of globalization, or the interconnection of the world. International communication, with the help of telecommunication, helps in the creation of a global culture in which several cultures are mixed: hybridization. “While immigrants may hold onto their cultural roots when they settle in another society, they also modify their traditions and behaviors in what has been called variously a process of hybridity, creolization, or glocalization” (Ogan, 2007, p.313). Globalization and hybridization influences the cultural change and preservation that Moroccan culture has to deal with, especially in Europe.
The older generations of Moroccans living in Europe still have the notion of celebrating their culture and maintaining tradition, but it is the younger generation that people should be worried about. How are parents going to educate their children about the Moroccan culture when they live in a society that is influenced by globalization and hybridization? How can the Moroccan culture be preserved among youth in Europe in the future? How, with the existence of hybridization and globalization, can one prevent cultural change and preserve cultural identity? These questions are hard to answer, but are not impossible to answer; one of many solutions is satellite broadcasting.

Satellite Broadcasting

With the first commercial satellite being launched in 1965, numerous personal communications satellite systems were introduced in the late 1990s and into the 2000s (Gher, 2007, p.321). Gher (2007) states that “at the beginning of the new millennium, geostationary satellites and low-earth-orbit satellites encompassed the planet, constituting a global infrastructure fully capable of providing direct voice, data, radio, and television services to the 6 billion citizens of the planet” (p. 321). There are a number of satellites that one can receive nowadays; popular satellites that Moroccans tend to watch programs on include ArabSat, NileSat, EutelSat, and Astra. Besides the Moroccan television channels, a variety of other Arab channels can be received. According to Elkins, “satellite mean that broadcasting is not restricted to a specific territory, whether local, national, or continental” (2007, p.144).
In recent years, satellite broadcasting has invaded many homes all over the world; it has given people the opportunity to receive radio and television programs from different parts of the world which initially broadcasted “American and European television programming and films” (Straubhaar & Boyd, 2007, p.134). The introduction of satellite television has given people living abroad the ability to receive channels and programs from their home country, Telecommunication, which satellite broadcasting is a part of, has created a so-called “virtual ethnic community” (Elkins, 1997, p.139). Elkins emphasizes on the fact that “virtual should not be understood as meaning “almost” or “not quite” a community”, instead “they have the potential to be just as fundamental to the identities of some people as the existing ethnic communities whose existence we have taken for granted for decades or even centuries” (1997, p.141). These virtual ethnic communities have created a bond between people from all over the world; satellite television have ended the successful area of mass media, and it has now started an era of “addressable” or “targeted” audiences (Elkin, 2007, p.144).
We can relate the concept of virtual ethnic communities to Moroccans who live in Europe by stating that through satellite television, communities are formed and their interest in particular programs have widened. Whether you are a Moroccan who is living in Sweden or Italy, the same behavior in preference of television is found. A study conducted by the Stichting Omproep Allochtonen (STO) (Broadcasting Organization Immigrants) conducted in 2001, focused on the program preference of immigrants in Holland, and found that through satellite television, Moroccan immigrants watched a diverse amount of programs that included several Arab television stations, apart from Moroccan broadcasting television, like MBC, Al Jazeera, ART, and others (p.8/p.9). If we look at Moroccans who are living in Morocco, the same television programs are preferred, and this sense of familiarity is carried on by Moroccans living in Europe. We can say that it is part of the Moroccan cultural identity.

Cultural Identity

As mentioned before, cultures change and adapt to newly found phenomena such as globalization, hybridization, and Westernization. Moroccan youth in Europe live their life like any other citizen of the country they are living in. The only difference between them and native citizens is that their parents, or they themselves, come from Morocco. So, there is this population of young Moroccans that was born and raised in a country other than Morocco, a country that has its own culture (morals, values, beliefs, attitudes, behavior, customs, etc.), and in order to be a good citizen they should adapt themselves to that culture. What does culture adaptation of a non-native country do to the Moroccan culture? Stald and Tufte emphasize on the notion of cultural identity by stating that “the perseverance of the concept of ‘nation’ and ‘national values’ is rooted in the attitudes and sentiments of people, both as individuals and as groups” (2002, p.128). Furthermore, Elkins (1997) states the following about communities and cultural identity:
“…each person has countless characteristics, interests, and values; and so each may use the features to become part of a great many communities. Involvement in a community represents an affirmation of a particular feature of an individual’s identity. It may also be a means of developing an identity or aspects of one’s identity, a way to “find oneself”. One may be limited to active involvement in only a few of the possible communities by energy, or time constraints, or one’s chosen balance between focus and diversity” (p. 149).
Media plays a role in making sure this cultural identity, or Moroccan cultural identity to be specific, is maintained. According to MacBride (2004) “the media of communication are cultural instruments which serve to promote or influence attitudes, to motivate, to foster the spread of behavior patterns, and to bring about social integration” (p. 30). Thus, through media, culture can be spread and can reach several parts of the world, and inform or educate people about a specific culture. In the case of Moroccan culture in Europe, Moroccan media can focus on promoting their culture to Moroccans living abroad. However, a problem that Moroccan culture in Europe has to deal with, are the second and third generation Moroccans who were born, brought up, and educated in a European country.
The Moroccan culture that is spread is spread through satellite communication. Because television is one of the most popular mediums used by people, culture can be issued through television programs that people watch: “…television performs its cultural task of broadcasting theatre performances, of creating its own drama productions, of transmitting concerts, of presenting and commenting upon original visual arts and literature” (Wieten, Murdock & Dahlgren, 2000, p.165). Television programs produced by Moroccan television channels like “Abouab al-Madina”, “Namadij” and “Ajyal/Generations”, to name a few, focus on topics that are related to the Moroccan society, and especially the Moroccan culture. Because these programs are broadcasted via satellite television, people in countries like Spain, France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Sweden, all which have a large number of Moroccan populations, tend to cover issues that are unique to Morocco, and try to communicate these issues in a way that will attract the attention of people who have little knowledge about the country. One area that Moroccans everywhere find part of their Moroccan identity is music, with the focus on weddings, theatre, and societal gatherings. Two of the five Moroccan television channels that can be received through satellite broadcasting, RTM and 2M, have created programs that focus on such themes. Although not everybody agrees on the seriousness or quality of these programs, “Lalla al-Arousa”, “Studio 2M”, “Naghma ou Attay”, “Chhada Alhane”, and “Angham al-Atlas”, do attract the attention of Moroccan living abroad; Moroccans are know for, what they call “nachat”, meaning their expression of happiness and amusement, and this is what these programs emphasize on based on their knowledge of what Moroccans identify themselves with.

Culture Preservation

The STO (2001) found that the majority of second and third generation Moroccans living in Europe have more similarities than differences with native citizens when it comes to their preference of what they like to watch (p. 11). This means that they prefer watching national/local television channels, instead of Moroccan television channels. This is an issue that affects the spread of Moroccan culture among youth today, and also, the youth of the future. Satellite television is a tool that can help in preserving the Moroccan culture in Europe. From a case study on the impact of satellite television on urban youth in India by Rampal, sociological benefits of satellite television were found; satellite television promoted the understanding of the Hindi language and culture (Bollywood movies included) (p.125).
Older generations of Moroccans living in Europe, also give priority to watching Arab or Moroccan television programs because they are not used to what is broadcasted on the local television stations. Programs involving sex, drugs, violence, and other types that can create culture shock, are being avoided. However, one might argue that even Moroccan and Arab programs might include these kinds of issues. Although this might be true, older generations support their argument by stating that they rather watch and have their children watch programs with Arab/Moroccan content, than watch programs broadcasted by the “sinners” of the West.
Moroccan culture in Europe thus can be preserved through satellite television. However, with the growing number of Moroccans living abroad, and the level of education they enjoy, Moroccans have integrated in their society to the extend that they participate in the preservation of their culture. Multiculturalism is central in many European countries, and fortunately enough, there are Moroccans who, despite their full integration in a particular country, make the effort to promote their culture among fellow Moroccans by creating television programs about Moroccans and their culture. Ms. Sou’ad El Baghdadi, a Moroccan native living in Holland and who works for a Dutch multicultural television broadcasting channel (MTNL), makes the effort to promote the Moroccan culture in Holland. What she does is she combines both the Dutch and the Moroccan culture that young Dutch-Moroccans live in, and focuses on customs, values, and beliefs of the Moroccan society. The programs that she produces are related to multicultural Holland, and how one can preserve that multiculturalism by informing people about the cultures that are present in a particular country. These programs can be an alternative to satellite television, and are more effective with newer generations of Moroccans living in Europe.

Conclusion

Satellite television has affected the culture of many Moroccans who live abroad. The problems that they face when they arrive in a foreign country and also when they have lived there for a while, are related to what extend they value their culture. Satellite television has enhanced their ability to feel at home when they are abroad, meaning that they can receive channels via satellite dishes that broadcast programs that they are interested in, and which relate to their culture. The cultural identity of Moroccans has been put to the test, and so has their capability of preserving their culture abroad. The satellite television has provided Moroccans with the opportunity to keep in touch with Morocco, and still plays a role in practicing their culture in a different country. Although new generations of Moroccans in Europe are more integrated and adapted to the European way of live, it is their Moroccan heritage that distinguishes them from the rest; a distinction that they should be proud of and try hard to maintain.

References

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